August 3, 2017
By Darren Liddell

Have you ever looked at your bank account balance a week after being paid and wondered where all your money went?

Or thought to yourself, I have no idea what is affecting my credit score and when it changes?

These are questions that have led the development of specific FinTech (aka Financial Technology) applications. These apps are designed to make easier than ever to know exactly where your money is going (how how much you are spending on eating out for lunch or on happy hour drinks with coworkers).

A recent Huffington Post article defined FinTech companies as “businesses that leverage new technology to create new and better financial services for both consumers and businesses.” In this blog post, we will highlight financial apps that our financial professionals have tested personally. Ready to try them out and become a better manager of your money, credit, debt, and savings?

Have you noticed that many major banking apps have recently started offering you a version of your credit score for free? Well, FinTech companies did it first and still do it better in many ways.  These technology innovations have made it easier than ever to keep track of what is happening in your financial life passively and effectively killed balancing your checkbook (no shade to those still using checkbooks… okay, maybe a little shade).

At Catalyst Miami, we recently completed a study of FinTech in partnership with the University of Miami that revealed that our one-on-one Financial Coaching clients found “increased sense of organization and control over their finances” after using financial apps and the “apps and the coaching process helped raise awareness of good and bad financial habits.” Our goal was to make it easy for clients to choose apps that would meet their needs and to see if technology can help clients to achieve their goals even when they are not meeting with a financial coach.

Disclaimers: It important to note that the apps we listed below are not owned or developed by Catalyst Miami. Each of these apps uses bank-level security, meaning that all apps are as secure as online banking. Clients will be required to log-in with their account information to use/get the most out of these apps.

All apps are FREE (unless otherwise noted). Many of the apps make “recommendations” to enroll in credit cards, savings accounts, or other financial products. This is often how these companies make money.

Also, FinTech apps are just one strategy on the path towards achieving your financial goals. Automating your financial goals and having their progresses tracked through apps is often easier than using pen, paper, or envelopes; however, it is important to find the method that works best for you. All apps are available for both iOS (Apple) and Android (Google) devices and can be found in your apps store (unless otherwise noted). Many of these apps require a small amount of storage space on your device.

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For the remainder of this blog post, we will give you the run down on money tracking and budgeting apps. There will be a follow up blog post released next month that will highlights the best credit monitoring, bill tracking automated savings and basic investing apps.

Money Management Apps

Level Money

Type of app: Budget & Money Management

Description: Level focuses on variable expenses. Enter your income, fixed monthly expenses and desired savings, then Level visually presents you with monthly spendable amounts. Level presents you with one amount to spend monthly and as long as you don’t spend more, you know you will stay within your budget. You will also receive accountability notifications.

What to know: What makes Level unique is its presentation of your monthly spendable money. It allow you to spend your money however you like and encourages you stay under that monthly spendable amount.

Mint

Type of app: Budget and Money Management, Billpay, & Basic Credit

Description: This is the most popular budgeting, goal setting, bill pay & money management app. Transaction history, budget and goal progress can be monitored for various categories. Bill tracking and paying is also available inside the app. Your Equifax credit score (credit scoring model not published) is available through the app.

What to know: Mint is one of the most comprehensive financial apps available. It allows you to set up and track your budget by category. Because Mint offers many features, some find it too complex and stop using it. We recommend starting with money tracking and budgeting features of the app before exploring the bill pay and credit features.

HoneyDue

Type of app: Budget and Money Management

Description: Honeydue helps couples to track bills, savings and expenses across accounts. Bills and expenses can be assigned to each partner and used for accountability. You choose the level of access you partner has for each account.

What to know: Honeydue is the only app we listed aimed at helping couples manage their money together. This is app is a great way to stay on the same page as a couple with shared expenses and bill reminders.

Chatbot-Based Apps

These apps let you talk back and forth with a computer to learn more about your personal finances. These usually communicate with you via text message and do not require you to download any applications for your phone.

Penny

Type of app: Money Management, Tracking Spending

Description: This chatbot app messages with you inside of an app you download to your phone. Penny tracks your spending and notifies you of your spending habits. You chat with the app to learn more about your sending behavior and trends.

What to know: Penny is one the only chatbot we’ve listed that has a visual element and requires downloading an app. It is helpful for many clients who prefer to see pictures and graphs.

Change.me

Type of app: Money Management, Tracking Spending

Description: Change sends you reminders via text message (SMS) to encourage you to spend more wisely and stay on track financially. You control how often it sends you text messages about your finances.

What to know: Sign up at gochange.co

Abe AI

Type of app: Money Management, Tracking Spending

Description: Abe AI automatically creates a personalized spending plan and tracks spending for you based on your cashflow, debts, and loans. Abe send your text (SMS) notifications with how much you have left to spend based on the plan it creates for you.

What to know: Sign up at bot.abe.ai

Trim

Type of app: Money Management, Tracking Spending

Description: Trim looks at your reoccurring expenses and remind you of bills you have on auto pay and can help you cancel subscriptions.

What to know: Sign up at asktrim.com. Trim can be used to cancel subscription services like music subscription services, gym memberships, cable/internet bills, and more.

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Each of these apps can help to raise awareness about how your money is being spent and show trends in your spending.

Want to learn about apps to help address your credit, savings, basic investing, and debt management needs? Stay tuned for next month when we'll publish part 2 of this guide to financial apps!

July 26, 2017
By Kristina Reed

When you hear social justice, you probably think of people rallying around causes such as poverty, the death penalty, access to health care, labor laws, and civil rights.

What doesn’t come to mind is oral health, which often isn’t even in our conversations about overall health. And why would it?

Isn’t oral health just an issue of personal aesthetic, like hair or skin care?

Nope.

Oral health is much more more than a nice smile. Additionally, whether an individual has good oral health isn’t always in their control. The Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health has shown strong ties between the oral health of a population, their overall health, and many other socioeconomic determinants of health.

Let’s define social justice.

Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.

Social justice issues are those that affect a certain population differently than others. It may be harder to get hired, be healthy, or access resources due to factors that are out of personal control, such as skin color or place of residence.

The connection between social justice and health becomes apparent when discussing health disparities, which are different health outcomes that are closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage.

Oral health is a social justice issue due to rampant disparities - the most vulnerable communities are at highest risk and cannot access care. What has been called a “silent epidemic” of oral diseases disproportionately affects the poor, children, the elderly, and racial and ethnic minority groups (U.S. General Accounting Office, 2000).

To make things worse, these same populations are less likely to have dental insurance and to regularly see a dentist. Poor oral health affects both overall health and other aspects of well-being. For example, dental-related illness is the number one reason for school absences in low income communities in the U.S. A report issued by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2000 estimated that over 51 million school hours were lost each year due to dental-related illnesses.

Where do oral health disparities come from?

Access to nutritious food
It’s no secret that low-income areas are rife with food deserts. A food desert is an area where nutritious food is scarce due to factors including availability, affordability, distance, or limited places to shop. This lack of access makes it more likely that residents in food deserts have a poor diet, and consequently increased oral health risk. There is a direct link between nutrition and oral health, which is further explored in a previous blog post.

The photos above were taken by high school students as part of Catalyst Miami’s photo-voice project to identify social determinants of oral health.

Use of tobacco
Tobacco wreaks serious havoc on the mouth, leading to stains, gum disease, oral cancer, and more. Tabacco is also used much more in low income and minority communities. The tobacco industry knows this, and focuses advertising in these areas. Check out the work being done to call out the tobacco industry’s contribution to disparities at www.thetruth.com.

Paying for dental care:
It’s all too easy to neglect oral health when under a tight budget. People often wait until they are experiencing pain, visible decay, or even tooth loss before seeking dental attention, at which point it may be too late.

The fact that medical and dental insurance are separate perpetuates the idea that dental care is not a necessity. The same problem applies to those who are publicly insured. In Florida, dental services for adults over 21 are not covered by Medicaid. Even though they are covered for children 20 and under, providers are poorly reimbursed, meaning that there are very few dental providers that accept Medicaid.

Access to dental services:
Not only are dental services difficult to pay for, they are hard to access. People experience barriers including transportation, a lack of translation, and inconvenient hours. Many dental providers are not open in the evenings or on the weekends, limiting options for working families.

How can I advocate for oral health in my community?

• Educate yourself by reading up on the state of oral health in Miami-Dade County.
• Help to raise awareness by starting conversations about oral health.
• Call local and state officials to influence policies that affect oral health.
• Support community water fluoridation, which is recommended by nearly all public health, medical, and dental organizations, yet is not practiced by 23% of Florida water sources.
• Advocate for policies that emphasize increasing access to dental care, such as higher Medicaid reimbursement rates, workforce development for provider shortages, and more.
• Support the work of truth.com in calling out profiling by the tobacco industry.
• Catalyst Miami offers several leadership and advocacy trainings! Join us and learn how to make a change in your community.

Oral health is a social justice issue that cannot go on being ignored.

The most vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected and their voices are not being heard. This has implications for the overall health and general well being of entire communities.

If would like to make your voice heard, the staff at Catalyst Miami can show you the ropes, give you information for your local and state representatives, and connect you to resources. Please call our main number 305-576-5001 or email [email protected] and request information about our oral health work.

July 21, 2017
By Elyse Marrero

On June 23, 2017, the tenth Public Allies Miami class graduated at Miami-Dade College, Wolfson Campus. The year concluded with the Presentations of Impact (POI): an opportunity for each Public Ally to illustrate how they impacted the community and how they grew personally and professionally. Through laughter, tears, and eye-opening stories, the Public Allies shared how ten months of AmeriCorps service in nonprofit organizations changed their lives.

Different from previous years, the POI was held in a “poster-session” format, allowing guests one-on-one engagement with each graduate. The Allies also presented summaries of their Team Service Projects at three local high schools: Miami Northwestern, Edison, and Miami Jackson.

Anneth Izquierdo (pictured above), presented about the importance of accessible workplaces for people with disabilities. She drew from her experience as a person with visual differences explaining in detail how she navigates work and office spaces differently than typically sighted people.

Ashley Cevere (pictured above on left, with fellow Allies Daija Barnard and Gabriel Perez), discussed her growth and reflections from her term of service, as well as the connections she made at her placement. At one moment, Ashley was found hugging and shedding tears of joy with her co-workers and supervisor.

Phillippa Paisley (pictured above with her supervisor and coworkers) exhibited poise and confidence as she spoke to each guest about the over 1,800 hours she worked during her service.

Yareliz Mendez-Zamora pictured above with Roxy Azuaje, Public Allies Miami Manager) cleverly blended pop music and her service impact by incorporating inspiring lyrics and themes from Beyoncé’s Lemonade into her presentation.

Public Allies' national mission is to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. Public Allies Miami engages young adults, most of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds, in rigorous training and service to become community leaders. Catalyst Miami is the local sponsor of the only Public Allies program in South Florida, with support from The Children's Trust. Learn more at catalystmiami.org or publicallies.org.

Congratulations to the 2016-2017 Public Allies Miami class:

Ashley Cevere
Early Learning Coalition

Ashley Cover
Opa-locka Community Development Corporation

Daija Barnard
Center for Social Change

Julia Doucet
Catalyst Miami

Anneth Izquierdo
Silent Victims of Crime

Brandon Johnson
Catalyst Miami

Mariana Martinez
Le Jardin Community Center

Yareliz Mendez-Zamora
Centro Campesino Farmworker Center

Samantha Niravong
Common Threads

Phillippa Paisley
Children's Movement of Florida

Myles Parker
The Education Effect

Gabriel Perez
Community Justice Project

Timothy Richardson
University of Miami - Office of Civic and Community Engagement

Christopher Silio
Catalyst Miami

Kaleem Washington
Miami Children’s Initiative

Special thanks to the ACCESS (Disability Services) & MEED Program at Miami Dade College – Wolfson Campus for hosting our Presentations of Impact.

July 19, 2017
By Michael Hu, Catalyst Miami summer intern

Climate change.

Those two words inspire tremendous thought, debate, and controversy.

By definition, climate change is slow-moving and gradual, so it’s easy to think of climate change as a hypothetical, something for politicians and pundits to argue over, or for people living on far-away low-lying islands to worry about. But climate change doesn’t discriminate geographically, and the consequences of climate change are already evident in parts of the United States, despite denials from some of our politicians.

Source: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/02/climate-change-economics/florida-coast-map

Miami, in particular, is one of the cities most at risk from climate change, and has the dubious distinction of having the greatest amount of at-risk assets in the world. Miami is located both on the shore and in the southern US, thus facing threats from both sea level rise and heat issues.

As a thriving metropolis in the US, Miami also faces the same macroeconomic issues that other large cities face, including urban sprawl and gentrification. Climate change as a threat multiplier exacerbates these challenges, leaving the city unaffordable and unlivable for millions of people who call Miami home, and inevitably it will be poorer communities that will be the most affected.

Adapting to climate change will require innovative thinking and solutions both large and small. Wealthier communities can afford to adapt to climate change, with grand engineering solutions, and residents of those communities can afford to move if necessary. Poorer and lower income communities do not have those options, even though those communities have just as much, if not more, risk.

However, climate change is also an opportunity to fundamentally re-think how this region operates and how communities interact with each other. True resiliency occurs when everyone is a stakeholder and is engaged, and truly equitable solutions can address not only climate change but also socioeconomic inequality and other systemic issues.

That’s where CLEAR Miami comes in. The Community Leadership, Advocacy and Resilience (CLEAR) Miami program, a 12 week program run by Catalyst Miami, explains the science of climate change to community members. But more importantly, CLEAR Miami also teaches and cultivates leadership skills with its participants. Through exercises such as in-class presentations, participatory mapping, and community project design, CLEAR Miami provides participants with opportunities to develop public speaking, community organizing skills, event planning and advocacy skills.

CLEAR Miami graduates from the first cohort

CLEAR Miami occurs after work hours and provides childcare and transportation, allowing participants from communities across South Florida to attend. Through in-class assignments, CLEAR Miami encourages participants to think about solutions to implement in their own communities, which CLEAR Miami then funds and provides support for through a post-graduation fellowship. Now in its third cohort, CLEAR Miami continues to attract participants from around the region as well as interest from outside the area, and the CLEAR model will be presented at a national public health conference in October.

CLEAR Miami graduate, Paulette Richards, speaks with Senator Bernie Sanders about climate resilience in Miami, April 2017.

By providing the knowledge, skills and opportunities that community members need, CLEAR Miami gives residents a say in their communities’ destinies, and low and middle income communities a fighting chance in ultimately adapting to climate change. The advocacy work that CLEAR Miami graduates are performing influence the broader scale strategies that local and regional governments are creating, bringing crucial, needed personal perspectives to the table and advocating for long term strategies that are equitable and include all communities. The projects of CLEAR Miami fellows provide concrete examples of small-scale, community solutions to climate change, and spread the impact of CLEAR Miami to other community members. Thus, CLEAR Miami helps to tackle all aspects of climate change adaptation, and helps to build true resilience throughout South Florida.

CLEAR Miami Youth graduates describing why they advocate for climate change

South Florida faces multiple, existing and imminent threats from climate change, particularly sea level rise, heat extremes and losses in biodiversity. Climate change is already a reality here, necessitating immediate action that only wealthier communities can afford to currently take. CLEAR Miami provides a way for people across lower and middle income communities to develop resiliency strategies of their own, ultimately so that South Florida can become truly, completely resilient.

June 21, 2017
By Kristina Reed

Nothing like dull, yellow teeth to damage a first impression. Or a toothache to ruin a promising day.

We all want nicer smiles and healthier teeth, but may not be aware of the daily habits that are impacting our oral health.

Our food and drink choices, and even how often we snack, have a huge impact on those pearly whites. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the food that you eat can affect your teeth and gums long after eating it. Thankfully, much of this damage can be avoided by maintaining good dental hygiene, avoiding certain foods, and eating others.

The basics

Let’s talk tooth decay

Tooth decay is also known as dental cavities or dental caries. It is exactly what it sounds like - the outer surface of your tooth (the enamel) decays or breaks down. This leads to pain, problems eating, discoloration, and even infection. It happens when plaque comes into contact with sugar in the mouth, causing acid to attack the teeth. Thankfully, tooth decay is entirely preventable. By practicing good dental hygiene, avoiding certain foods and snacking habits, and emphasizing others, you can kiss tooth decay goodbye.

Foods and drinks to AVOID:

1. Hard candies: These culprits are not only full of sugar but can also trigger a dental emergency like a chipped tooth.
2. Chewing on ice: This may seem innocent - It’s only water right? In reality, chewing on ice makes us vulnerable to dental emergencies and damages enamel. Ouch.
3. Excessive citrus: Acidic foods can erode enamel, making teeth more susceptible to decay. Citric fruits and juices can also irritate mouth sores. Try drinking orange juice and lemonade with a straw to avoid contact with your teeth.  
4. Caffeinated drinks: Not only do coffee and tea stain the teeth, but the added sugar also contributes to tooth decay.
5. Sticky foods: The longer food sticks to your teeth, the higher your chances of tooth decay. Make sure to rinse with water and brush and floss carefully after.
6. Crunchy foods: While chips are satisfying, they are also filled with starch, which tends to get trapped in teeth.
7. Soda: Most carbonated soft drinks are acidic and bad for teeth. Sipping also causes a constant sugar bath over teeth.
8. Alcohol: Overuse causes dehydration and dry mouth; reduced saliva flow leads to tooth decay and other oral infections such as gum disease. Frequent alcohol consumption also increases the risk for mouth cancer.

Foods and drinks to ENJOY:

1. Water: Drink fluoridated water to make teeth more resistant to cavity-causing acid attacks. Also, consistently drinking water helps to flush away food particles and prevent the buildup of bacteria, keeping your smile squeaky clean.
2. Dairy: Milk, and other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt are low in sugar, which is good for dental health. Dairy products contain protein and are full of calcium, which can help strengthen teeth. Cheese may actually counter tooth decay by neutralizing acid in the mouth. Just another reason to “say cheese”!
3. Lean proteins: Phosphorous-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs help to strengthen your teeth and contain valuable protein.
4. Fruits and veggies: These staples are high in water and fiber, which balance the sugars they contain and help clean teeth. Chewing also helps stimulate saliva production, which washes harmful acids and food particles away from teeth. Most fruits and veggies contain vitamin C (important for healthy gums and quick healing of wounds) and vitamin A (key nutrient in building tooth enamel).
5. Nuts: Protein and minerals are important for overall health. Nuts that are low in carbohydrates don’t add to your risk of cavities. Peanuts have been shown to neutralize acid in the mouth as well. Chewing stimulates saliva production, lowering risk of decay.
6. Sugar-free gum: This is a great way to combat the inevitable urge to snack and clean the mouth.

Every time we eat, we are making choices about our future health. Being mindful of what and how we eat feels great both in the moment and years down the road. However, don’t just leave your oral health in your own hands. Make sure to schedule dental check-ups at least twice a year so that dental professionals can catch anything serious before it progresses. Other free or low-cost alternatives include federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), community health fairs, mobile dental units, and more. The staff at Catalyst Miami can help you navigate these resources. Invest in forming good habits now - you’ll thank yourself later.

June 16, 2017
A letter from one of our funders, Gene Shaefer, Miami market president of Bank of America

Some South Florida communities continue to falter when it comes to financial growth and economic mobility, despite the overall recovery of the U.S. economy. And the situation may be getting worse. Barriers to economic success are growing in South Florida with all wage earners seeing an income decline, except for the top 5 percent, a report from the FIU Metropolitan Center reveals.

Furthermore, United Way of Florida’s latest ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report reveals that 21% of households in Miami Dade live in poverty and an additional 27% are one emergency away from financial instability, meaning more than half of all households in our community struggle to make ends meet.

It’s clear that effective solutions are needed to close this growing economic disparity in South Florida, now one of the largest such gaps in the United States.

Supporting Basic Needs

Meeting the basic needs of all members of our community is an ideal place to start. Without making essentials like food and housing readily available, many residents are forced to focus on day-to-day survival rather than economic mobility.

Without these basics, people also lack the stability necessary to enter the workforce and improve their current and long-term financial standing.

Working Their Way Up

Specific to employment, all members of our community need an effective path into the workforce. This will not only improve individual lives, but also help elevate the entire South Florida community and make a marked impact on our economy.

Unfortunately, many of these struggling communities do not have the resources to succeed on their own. This is one reason why Bank of America is proud to partner with non-profit organizations that address the economic mobility of individuals, families and entire neighborhoods. Truly empowering people means all have access to basic needs, real workforce options, and the knowledge and ability to provide for themselves and their families.

Driving Change Through Essential Partnerships

The invaluable nonprofit organizations that provide a safety net for individuals and families are central to the success of these efforts. To this end, we’re proud to announce the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has named Catalyst Miami a recipient of its 2017 Workforce Development and Basic Needs grant. Catalyst Miami will use the funds to sustain and grow their prosperity work to help low and middle income Miami residents lead healthy and financially stable lives by providing access to healthcare and benefits as well as financial/credit coaching and career/resume assistance.

We’re grateful for this partnership, because it means helping more of our neighbors get back on their feet more quickly.

We’re also indebted to all of the volunteers, including Bank of America employees, who continue to demonstrate how incredibly invested they are in our community. They generously share their time, passion and expertise to improve the quality of life of their neighbors and people they’ve never met in many ways every day.

Sincerely,
Gene Schaefer, Miami market president
Bank of America

June 12, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 1, 2017

MIAMI, FL – On June 3, 2017, 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M., Catalyst Miami will host its third Anti-Poverty Summit to identify equitable, collaborative, and sustainable solutions to South Florida's greatest challenges, including sea level rise and building climate resilience. The Summit will convene members of the community as well as leaders from the public and private sectors to address resilience through a broad lens, focusing on three of its main determinants: transportation, healthcare, and affordable housing.

Attendees will meet at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus, Building 2, Room 2106 (First Floor); and will participate in strategy sessions following a panel discussion and showcase, where we will hear from individuals involved in successful collaborative models in Medellín, Colombia and US cities.

Speakers include:

Meera J. Bhat, North America Cities Director, The Nature Conservancy
Miriam Harmatz, Senior Health Law Attorney, Florida Legal Services
Viviana Tobon, Assistant Director of Mobility, Metropolitan Area of Aburra Valley (Medellin)
Kimberly Vermeer, ClimateCARE Project Lead, Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc.

Government officials attending include:

State Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez
State Sen. Daphne Campbell
State Rep. Nicholas Duran
State Rep. Barbara Watson
State Rep. Robert Asencio Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, Miami Dade County, District 8
Commissioner Ken Russell, City of Miami, District 2
James Murley, Chief Resilience Officer, Miami Dade County
Jane Gilbert, Chief Resilience Officer, City of Miami

Sponsors for this event are The Nature Conservancy, Health Foundation of South Florida, and Miami Dade College.

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Event Contact: Aidil Oscariz
Tel.: 786-258-1641
Email: [email protected]

Media Contact: Molly Delahunty
Tel.: 7864141292

May 24, 2017
By Aidil Oscariz and Karen Woodall

The bills listed below did not pass during the 2017 Legislative Session. Some of these bills would have negatively impacted our communities and weakened our civil rights. Thank you to Karen Woodall at Equal Voice for Florida Families Rural Coalition for putting this summary together.

Summary of 2017 Florida Legislative Session

May 24 , 2017
By Russell Correa, Ed.M., LMHC (guest blog writer)

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone is always looking at their phones these days? No matter where you go, it seems like people are constantly staring at the screens.

At the office.

While at dinner.

During meetings.

While walking down the street.

On dates.

In bed.

(You’re probably only half-paying attention to this article right now as you attempt to multi-task between priorities and the alluring draw of your phone.)

Maybe it’s the new normal but the need to obsessively check your phone for social media updates, emails and text messages seems a bit out of control. Think about yourself for a second – what’s your first response when you hear your smartphone “ring”, “ding” or “vibrate”? Be honest. If you are like most people, your first reaction is to check your phone as quickly as you possibly can - no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Okay, so maybe I am overstating this issue a bit.  But think about this for a second. Recent research suggests that close to 40% of the US population is fearful and anxious to be without their phones for any amount of time. And consider that even the average user touches their smartphone approximately 2,600 times a day. Ask yourself - how much time do you spend a day on your phone? Where is your phone right now? Where is your phone when you go to sleep at night? (Probably right next to you if you are like most people.)

The main point I am trying to make is that all this time on your phone can have an impact on your focus and engagement, in both your personal and professional life.

So how do you know if you are you are too connected to your phone. Consider whether you ever experienced the following symptoms:

• Do you feel anxious when you do not have your phone in your possession or your phone’s battery is about to die?
• Do you constantly check your phone for new texts, emails, social media updates and newsfeeds, no matter where you are at or what you are doing?
• Do you ever experience phantom phone notification syndrome – thinking your phone is “ringing” or “beeping” when it really isn’t?
• Do you not hear what people are saying to you or even realize that people are talking to you sometimes because you are looking at your phone?

If any of these symptoms described you, don't feel bad. But you should consider doing something about it. Here are some simple things to think about that can help:

• Put the phone away. Really. Try it. Try 10 minutes. Then 30 minutes. Next time you go out for dinner, leave it in the car. Build your capacity slowly but surely. You might be surprised how this enhances your enjoyment of other things.
• Stop checking your phone before you go to bed or first thing when you wake up in the morning. Break up your connection and dependency with your phone. It may be weird at first but you quality of sleep will improve. (If your thinking “wait, my phone is my alarm clock”, then buy an alarm clock and leave the phone in the other room)
• If you are a manager and concerned that your staff is always on their phone during team meetings, consider a phone ban for meetings or encourage team members to minimize their phone time in order to be more focused.
• There are lots of Apps on the market now to help people keep track of their phone time and remind them when they are spending too much time on their phone. Look them up on your App Store.

Like I always tell my teenage son, there’s a big world out there. So get off your phone and enjoy it.

If you would like to learn more insights into this topic, join me for a 30-minute webinar I will be hosting on June 21st at 1pm - Stop Looking at Your Smartphone! Click here for more information and to register.

About Russell Correa, Ed.M., LMHC
As the Principal of Zeta Consulting Group, Russell Correa brings close to 20 years of experience as a licensed clinician, certified executive coach, HR & Management consultant and trainer to his work. Russell also serves as a board member for Allegany Franciscan Ministries, a funder of nonprofits in the Miami, Tampa Bay and Palm Beach areas. 

About the Working Smarter / Living Smarter Series
Lunch-Time Learning for Your Fast-Paced Schedule
Everyone wants to improve at what they do and who they are, but finding the time to fulfill this commitment is a challenge. The Working Smarter / Living Smarter Series helps you towards both of these goals with bite-size learning geared towards adult learning styles and fast-paced schedules. Grab your lunch, invest 30 minutes and reap the rewards of learning something new to be a “better” you.

For more info and to register, go to http://www.zetaconsultingfl.com/LivingandWorkingSmarterWebinar.en.html